Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

Current EventsBy Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.RUNNING SCAREDMaine,Republicans were jolted when the first state election, inwent against them. The Democrats won the governorship for their first major victory in Maine in twenty years.Senator Margaret Chase Smith won re-election as expected,but she secured only 58 per cent of the votes, compared to71 per cent in 1948. Three Republican Representatives alsocame through with majorities at least 10 per cent lower thanin 1952. If the whole country should show the same shift invoting, the Democrats would gain control of both houses ofCongress. Republican leaders claim that local factors were responsible for their setback in Maine; but similar "local" factors, especially unemployment, are to be found in many areas.Vice President Nixon's advice that his party should "run!scared"may not have been the best treatment for Republicanmorale, but it accurately fits the present situation.WELFARE OR EXPLOITATIONAfter spending seven months investigating 135 union welfare funds, the New York State Insurance Department found62 which were open to serious criticism in their management.In one of the worst cases, that of a teamsters' union local,the administrative costs came to about 30 per cent of thefund's total receipts, and the group became unable to paythe scheduled insurance premiums of its members. The manager apparently had almost unlimited powers, including theright to fix his own salary. In another instance, the pay of awelfare-fund administrator amounted to nearly 23 per cent ofthe fund's total income. Cases of favoritism to the friendsand relatives of union officials seem to have been common.Many funds have been well administered, but better controlsare essential to protect the rights of the workers. Senator Irving Ives of New York is heading one Congressional investigation of union welfare and pension funds, and a House Laborsubcommittee under Representative McConnell of Pennsylvania is beginninganother. The presidents of both the AFLand CIO have promised Senator Ives their full cooperation.Communist zone. The French seem to take the attitude thatViet Nam now has the self-government she long demanded,and can struggle with her own problems. Meanwhile Laos, lunorthwestern Indochina, is plagued with Communist terrorists,who have assassinated the defense minister and forced manyLaotians to join the Red armies.TERMITES AT WORKNearly five hundred persons have been arrested in theroundup of a Red spy ring in Iran, with the investigation notyet completed. The ring used elaborate codes to relay information to Russia, with a military attache in the Soviet emthose arrested as a Combassy playing a key role. Amongmunist spy was the army's chief counterintelligence agentfor the Abadan area, location of the great oil refineries. Iran'swar minister claims the ring had complete information onmilitary supplies sent to Iran from the United States. Manyof those who cooperated with the spy system were friends offormer Premier Mossadegh,NOTHING BUT THE FACTSThe Federal Trade Commission has asked all cigaretmanufacturers to consider a new advertising code, under whichthey would abandon all health claims and stick to appealsbased on taste and enjoyment. Any claims for benefits fromspecial ingredients or filters would have to be supported byimpartial scientific evidence,and even words such as"smooth"and "soothing" would be forbidden. If the cigaret makers refuse to agree, the FTC may resort to litigation under its powerto protect the public from false and misleading advertising.The tobaccomen would be wise to go along, for no one claimsthat smoking is good for the healthmerely that one kind isless harmful than others. Health claims are too likely to remind the public of the latest statistics on lungcancer.OKINAWA TO BOLIVIAAn interestingsocial experiment is the settlement ofJapanese immigrants from the island of Okinawa in theWORRIES AT BONNChancellor Adenauer's pro-American government in WestGermany received a setback when Socialists won a pluralityof the vote in state elections in Schleswig-Holstein. The Socialists advocate negotiatingGermany. In last year's nationalwith Russia for the unification ofelections'the same districtgave Adenauer's Christian Democratic Union a two-to-onemajority, but this time the Socialists ran slightlywas the first election since France rejected the European Deahead. Thisfense Community treaty. However, the Federal Parliamentat Bonn voted down a resolution to censure Adenauer's government for the defection of two of its prominent members tothe Communist government of East Germany.PROBLEMS FOR INDOCHINADespite the settlement made at Geneva, Indochina is notvery peaceful. The state of Viet Nam not only lost the northern half of its territory to the Reds, but faces serious internaltroubles. Premier Ngo Ninh Diem tried to remove the army'schief of staff by sending him to France for study, but thegeneral refused to go, and civil war could result. The premieris also having difficulties with Saigon's chief of police, whoheads a powerful political faction. Added to all this is theproblem of absorbing nearly half a million refugees from theSouth American country of Bolivia. The Bolivian govern-(Continued on page 199)THE COVENANTER WITNESSIssued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of theREFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHOF NORTH AMERICAat 129 West 6th Street, Newton, Kansas orthrough its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka, Kansasto promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and LifeFor individuals, churches and nationsOpinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writers :not necessarily the views of the Covenanter Church or of the Editor.Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka KansasContributing EditorsFrank E. Allen, D.D.Prof. William H. RussellWalter McCarroll, D.D.Remo I. Robb, D.D.Departmental EditorsRev. John O. EdgarMrs. J. O. EdgarMrs. Ross LatimerSubscription rates: $2.50 per year; Overseas, $3.00; Single Copies10 cents.The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A., Limavady, N. Ireland, Agent for theBritish Isles.Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansasunder the Act of March 3, 1879.Address communications to the Topeka office.September 29, 1954195